Gambian
international referee Bakary Papa Gassama is among several other high profile
sports personalities decorated with awards by the Sports Journalists
Association of The Gambia (SJAG) at the weekend.
The
37-year-old referee, Gassama unquestionably the highest profile sportsman in the
country in terms of individual performance and achievement was handpicked for
the sports personality of the year award by the SJAG.
Another
Gambian referee Mawdo Jallow, a close friend to Gassama, has retained the local
male referee of the year award after winning it in 2016.
This
is not the first time Gassama has been considered for the award by the Sports
Journalists Association of The Gambia (SJAG), having received a special SJAG
award in 2012.
The
award is meant to honour the achievements of past and present sportsmen and
women for their outstanding contributions to the development and promotion of
sport in The Gambia over the past 12 months.
Below
is a list of other awardees from different categories:
Best
local athlete: Adama Jammeh; Best foreign athlete, Omar Colley; Female
volleyball team went to GAF; Best local coach went to Alagie Sarr; Best local
male referee to Mawdo Jallow; Best local female referee was awarded to Jainaba
Manneh; Gina Bass was named best local female athlete; Emerging talent award
was given to Gambia National Beach volleyball team, while Demba Jarju of Para
Olympic and Bakary Gassama received sports personality of the year and the
Special awards respectively.
